Well, I'm still debating how I should do this for my RX-8.

I want to buy a 2005 RX-8 and I just was at a dealership today, and basically, a 2005 RX-8 GT is around $33,000 sticker price, that's including their $2000 markup. Now, I want to save money, but I really want to have the moon roof and leather seats and all that special stuff, but do you think it'd be cheaper to buy the most basic RX8 and then add all the aftermarket parts to it. For example, their most base RX8 (doesn't even have Sports Package) was around $27500, and this is all the pricing I got from Trustville Mazda online.

RX8 - $27500
Fog Lights - $252.00
Front Air Dam - $361.00
Fender Strakes - $195.00
Front Accent - $54.60
Rear Accent - $66.00
Rear Aero Flares - $216.00
Side Aero Flares - $234.00

Total - Around $28878.80

Now I know this is a lot cheaper than buying a GT, but I am missing out on leather seats and moon roof which I've always wanted to have (heard about the space issue, doesn't matter, I'm only 5'10 and I fit fine in one)

The issue I have is will I need to cut into my RX-8 for example to install the fog lights, to install the air dam and rear/side flares, to install the accents, etc etc.

Also, to upgrade to Xenon headlights do I just buy the bulb or what? How much does that usually cost to do yourself.

What are your thoughts.

 

The $2,000 markup is crap. Tell them it is, then work them down even more. It will cost a ton to put that stuff in after buying it. Go for the GT, and get it under MSRP with a little haggling.

 

Firstly, the idea of a "markup" from MSRP/sticker is ludicrous. Here in LA you can get a base-model 8 for about $800 over invoice ($26,329). The sport package is a little over $1100 more, and the GT package is about $3700 more ($29985 all in).

It's my recommendation to get the sport package - unless you're a short to average height guy the sunroof is just going to reduce your headroom to an intolerable level. If you're set on leather, get it done aftermarket -- it might be cheaper anyways.

 

Check out www.carsdirect.com

 

You need to negotiate a lot harder. Unless you are on the remote tropical island of extremely high demand for RX8's the dealer is way off base charging over list. Even the 05's are going for around invoice.

As far as building your GT out of a base, probably not a great idea. Body kits are easy, but the electrical system is not going to be easy and you might find the dealer very difficult to deal with when it comes to warranty if all your stuff wasn't oem.

Another thought... insurance companies won't cover most of your aftermarket addons unless you tell them about them and get the correct coverage. If you buy the car "whole" from the dealer, everything you paid for is included in the VIN. The insurance company knows what you have and you will have the correct coverage.

Start over again by contacting the internet sales department for a few dealers or find a friend who can give you a PIN for the S Plan. Good luck.

I forgot to mention that the HID headlights are very expensive and are not just plug and play.

 

Dude I got my car for $900 under invoice. I think you need to do some more research and bring a friend who knows how to negotiate. I would say it is cheaper to buy the package then to install them individually. Also you get Xenon headlights and traction/stability control (Xenon headlight alone is worth the sport package price).

 

Oh yeah, I definatly would talk to the dealers if I were to buy today, but at this time I was just looking at all the different packages and things like that.

Anyways, is there a way where say the dealer has a RX8 with just the sports package on it, but I want to add like rotary accents and appearance package onto it. Will they be able to take that car and just add onto it and I pay the difference or will I have to find a car that already has the options. As you can see, this will be my first time buying/dealing for a car.

Also, today when I was in a GT RX-8, I was trying to find a way to adjust the wheel but I never found a way. Where is the level to "tilt" the wheel/adjust it?

 

Rotary accents and appearance package can be added on to your verhicle later. You can even do the rotary accents yourself (Just double side tape).

 

Grind a better deal and buy a GT.

Good luck!!

- Irish

 

steering wheel tilt adjustment is under and behind the steering wheel, a large lever, can't miss it.

 

Hmm lol I don't know, I think I was missing it. Is it on the left hand side of the steering wheel? Cause mine is usually right there for my Blazer and I was looking and feeling around and I never found any lever, but then again, I was so scared of doing something wrong to the car, I didn't really try to pull on anything lol.

 

it's not a lever that sticks out under the steering wheel, look underneith and you'll see it (you need to pull it out to move the steering wheel around)

 

i would go with the sport and add what you want. build it that way and if the price starts to get out of hand, haggle the price down on a GT. i love the cloth seats and i've heard the sunroof lowers the structural integrity of the car.

 

Go with the sport pkg and add on what you want. Thats what I did and I am very happy. Doing some DIY will make you love the RX 8 more.

 

I got my car with everything from it because I know I would be too lazy to get it on later and I can't get myself to justify the additional cost if I don't already have it. Only thing I did get is the fender strakes which looks sweet.

 

I don't think there's any cutting involved, but you will need to drill into the body of the car to install the fog lights and body kit. The other things you'll be losing are DSC and traction control (which you can't do yourself) and 18" wheels (which you can do yourself, but adds $1,000+ to your shopping list).

 

general rule is always to get the car with everything you want already installed driving off the dealer lot. non-factory aftermarket parts excluded of course :o

 

I am pretty set on picking up a 8 with just the GT package, and then if I want later down the road, I will add the appearance package myself along with paint the rotary's for the "rotary accents" I'm really debating if I should pickup the Navigation in the 8 though. I will be going off the college soon, I don't know where I am going yet, but most likely somewhere down in Socal where I am not familiar with the place, this is where I think having the Navigation would help me out. Is it worth the extra $2000? I've never dealt with Navigation in cars before. The only navigation I've seen in a car was one of my girl friends IS300 and it was pretty useful I thought, however, is it hard to control/follow? Are you able to listen to the radio yet still have the navigation voice guide you?

 

Personally, I think the nav is a waste of money. $2,000 for a map? Print your directions out from Yahoo for free, or buy a map for $3 at the gas station. What happened to saving money? First you want a base model. Now you want GT with Nav? If you have a blank check, I say load it up!

 

Yeah, better off to purchase a high-end GPS receiver, which will likely perform better than the installed Nav, and be able to not only use it in the car but anywhere you want. Never know when you may want to do a little hiking in the "outback". And you will save a bundle by doing that.

 

This is exactly why you are being suckered into a 2,000 dollar mark up. Choose the car you WANT and but it. GPS looks cool but is truly useless unless you can't figure out how to read a map. Also, spending an additional 3,000 dollars for the car you WANT and financing it will cost 60 a month more vs. trying to come up with 1,800 cash for SOME of the parts. Save your cash, you can buy things like....................GAS!!!!!!!!!!!